Pencil



July 21, 1931.

J. P. LYNN PENCIL Filed Feb. 25,1929

Patented July 21, 1931 n starts 3' BEN P. LYNN, F CHICAGO, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DUB-O-LITE PENCIL CGMPAHY, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION CF ILLINOTS PENCIL Application filed February 25, 1929.

This invention which relates to a mechanical pencil having a chambered body for accommodating a supply of reserve leads, is concerned more particularly with a closure assembly for such body chamber and with the means by which the closure components are mutually joined for separation in response to different movements.

In the present pencil the reserve lead chamber or magazine is located in the upper end of the body, and the closure assembly which I have provided therefor includes also a mounting for an eraser. It is frequently desirable to fit over the eraser a protect- 5 ing cap which connects fricti'onally with a ferrule extending eyond the proximate body end, but in such a construction when the cap is pulled off the ferrule, the latter is itself liable to disengage from the pen- 90 cil body. It is accordingly an object of my invention to so correlate the ferrule connections with the associated parts that no diflivculty will be experienced in effecting a removal of (1) the eraser cap alone, or (2) the entire closure assembly when it is desired to open up the magazine within the pencil body.

This is accomplished by means which is sim- ..le to produce and operate.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a view partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation of a pencil equipped with the present closure assembly;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in longitudinal section of the upper pencil end and closure I assembly applied thereto;

Fig. 3 which is a view in elevationshows these same parts disassembled; and

Figs- 4 and 5 are transverse sections through the pencil on the respective lines -l4 and 55 of Fig. 2.

In the present pencil, I may combine separably with a body A a relatively rotatable part such as the tip B. The body is shown as provided with a slotted axial bore 4 through which may slide non-rotatably a screwthreaded propeller 5 having a head 6 at one end thereof. This bore in the body extends upwardly from its lower end for a distance sufficient to accommodate the propeller throughout its entire range of movement.

Serial No. 342,394.

A lead is advanced through the tip in re sponse to forward movement of the propeller.

The upper pencil end is chamberedas at 7 to provide a magazine for extra leads C. The closure for this magazine may consist of a cup lil ce retainer 8 split to provide spaced reiation with the remainder of the body. The

ferrule is detachably fitted to the pencil end so as to permit access to the lead chamber tierewithin. Theconnection which I prefer for holding the ferrule in place is in the form of an indented lug 11 which presents on the inside of the ferrule a tooth adapted to engage with a thread 12 which is formed spirally around the surface of the body. The ferrule may be rotatively advanced to a position of rest against an annular shoulder 13 upon the body. It may also be unscrewed for withdrawal from thebody,'and in this operation the eraser held thereby is also removed therewith. Preferably a cap E is applied over the eraser and ferrule to the latter of which it is frictionally engaged. I

p In the construction shown the lug 11 is located relatively close to one end of the ferrule. I preferalso to provide a second lug 11 in about the same location relative to the opposite ferrule end. But one of these lugs at a time can coact with the threads 12the other lug will be disposed beyond the pencil end adjacent the eraser. Because of the position Occupied by this latter lug, the eraser retainer cannot be fitted within the ferrule except when these parts are in such rotative adjustment that the upper lug 11 may slide in between two of the jaws 9. This relationship of the parts assures that the; eraser will not turn relative to the ferrule. This is of importance in case the eraser and retainer should be pushed into the ferrule for a distance greater than desired. In such event the bottom of the cup retainer will engage the pencil end before the lower lug 11 completes its travel in the threads 12, whereupon u product.

the retainer will be backed up to the predetermined position shown in Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the two lugs occupy similar positions relative to the ferrule ends, it follows that the ferrule is reversible in relation to the associated parts. These lugs, if formed by indentations as suggested,'might be objectionable from the standpoint of appearance, but by providing that the cap shall extend completely down and over the ferrule, as shown, the presence of these lugs is concealed during ordinary use of the pencil.

The construction of pencil head just described is particularly advantageous where F the body is a moulded bakelite or celluloid A moulded pencil body is commonly-forined of two or more longitudinally d1- vided complementary sections or parts at and 3/ joined imperfectly or otherwise by fusion, as shown in Fig. 4. VVh-ere such fusion is imperfect, thebody sections are likely to separate, thereby rendering the pencil. useless for further service. fusible material, al-

though fairly well suited for a pencil body,

tends to shrink from its original size, or else it cannot be formed uniformly to an exact size. In such circumstances, the pencil head will fail to stay in place satisfactorily if a frictional connection be depended upon.

This difficulty is overcome in the presen invention where the head may, if necessary,

beloosely fitted in place, since the tooth in I engagement with the thread provides a conv.nection which is positive and unfailing. This is of special advantagewhen, as 111 the present pencil, the cap is frictionally secured to the ferrule because it is then necessary to apply-apulling force to remove the cap preparatory to using the eraser. W'hen, as in previous practice, the-ferrule is attached to the body by a frictional connection, 'the chances are about equal of pulling off the entire" head, i. e.,' the ferrule, cap and eraser, when only the cap is desired. But by having for the cap africtional connection and for the ferrule apositive connection, each requiring a different motion for its displacement, it is possible to remove the entire head or .justthe cap, according as is desired. The ferruleso fitted in place upon the pencil end serves additionally to preventthe body sections from separating or shifting 'endwise relative to-each other, thereby reinforcing the effectiveness of the bond resulting from fusion therebetween.

I claim:

1. A pencil having a body provided with a l I chamber which opens at the upper end thereof, and-a closure for the chamber applied over theupper pencil end comprising an eraser.

supportingferrule having a plurality of indented teeth which are adapted to be re ceived within threads extending spirally around the exterior of thepencil body ad- ,jacent-its-upperend; there beinga stopshoulder for determining the final position of the ferrule when applied over the pencil end, said ferrule being relatively thin-walled of a substantially uniform interior diameter throughout the extent thereof, whereby the eraser is adapted to abut the said pencil end to assure proper positioning thereof with respect to its supporting ferrule.

2. A pencil having a body, said body being provided with a substantially centrally disposed chamber opening adjacent the upper end thereof, said upper end being reduced and exterior-1y threaded, a closure for said chamber including athin-walled ferrule of substantially uniform interior diameter, and an eraser retainer mounted in saidferrule, said ferrule having means indented therefrom and adapted to be received in the screw threads of said body.

3. In combination, a pencil having a body the upper end of which is reduced to provlde a stop shoulder, said reduced portion being 

